XYZ's of Parenthood
by writeaboutweasley
Summary: For a project in a new class Harry, Hermione, and Ron signed up for for extra credit, Harry and Hermione must be assigned a child for a few months. Who will be their child?
1. First Lesson

**XYZ's Of Parenthood**

**Summary: For a project in a new class Harry, Hermione, and Ron signed up for for extra credit, Harry and Hermione must be assigned a child for a few months. Who will be their child?**

**Disclaimer: Not my characters, blah blah blah. **

**THIS IS NOT THE STORY I WAS TALKING ABOUT IN THE END OF CHAPTER 4 (or 3) OF "EVEN THOUGH..." IT IS NOT THE BIZARRE STORY.**

"You don't need extra credit," Ron grumbled as he watched Hermione sign up for the class.

"No," she said, "But I just want to see what kind of class it is!"

A flier had been posted up on every notice board in the common rooms:

**_7th Years Need Extra Credit? _**

**_Sign up for Professor Kilarpie's extra credit assignments class!_**

**_Tell me which class you need extra credit in and do the assignment, soon you will have higher grades! Come to the empty classroom on the 5th floor tomorrow (October 18th) at noon for the first class!_**

**_Sign up here:_**

Ron and Harry had immediately signed up. Hermione had gleefully signed up also.

"Classes start tomorrow at noon," she said happily, "I can't wait to see what things we'll be doing!"

* * *

"Hello…" Professor Kelarpie said, "I am Professor Kelarpie, the teacher of your extra credit assignments. For a little bit pf background on me, I have worked at Muggle schools for 10 years…"

Ron droned out as she continued to talk about the interesting things they taught Muggle students.

Professor Kelarpie was a young witch, about in her thirties, she had short black hair, brown eyes, and a slender body. She held herself straight and had a dreamy voice much like Luna's.

"And the first assignment will be on parenthood," she said suddenly, making everyone snap into attention.

"What does that have to do with any of our classes?" Seamus asked loudly, almost everyone agreed.

All the girls looked pleased.

"It doesn't," professor Kelarpie said, "But I have talked about each of my assignments with your other teachers and Headmaster and they have agreed to let me do this just so you will learn about being parents. Now…" she looked around, "Everyone get into groups of three. Make sure that there is a boy and girl in each group that is a member of your year and house."

After much bustling (except for Harry, Hermione, and Ron), groups were formed. Professor Kelarpie smiled and pulled out several potion vials.

"Now…obviously there is a mother and father, choose those, and the person who is not chosen remain where you are."

"I don't want to be either," Ron said, yawning and doodling on his piece of paper.

"This group, right here," Professor Kelarpie suddenly said, pointing to Harry, Hermione and Ron's group, "Come up to the front please."

The trio stood and walked up to the front.

"Who is the father?" Professor Kelarpie asked, "Because I already know who the mother is." She smiled.

"Me," Harry said.

Ron looked slightly expectant.

"Brilliant," Professor Kelarpie said, picking up a bottle. She pointed at Ron, "You…you are the whole object of this assignment-"

"Special," Ron said with a slight grin, some people laughed.

"Because," Professor Kelarpie continued, "You will be turned into a baby."

"Pardon?" Ron asked, turning pale.

"Each lesson you will return," Professor Kelarpie went on, "And the person who is the baby will drink more of the potion and become one year older. You must care for the child until the assignment is over and they are returned to their normal selves."

"Excuse me?" Ron said, still pale.

"Drink this," Professor Kelarpie said, handing him the vile, "Just a sip. A teaspoon."

Ron did so. Then handed the vile back. Within seconds everyone was shocked. Ron was now a sleeping baby inside Professor Kilarpie's arms. He still had red hair and freckles, but was smaller. Very small. Professor Kelarpie handed the baby (Ron) over to Hermione.

"Groups line up please!" Professor Kelarpie announced, "At the end of class I will give you a box of the things you need to have to raise babies."

Hermione was amazed. Harry looked shocked.

"I think I like him like this," Hermione said, "He's so quiet."

Harry had to laugh. Ron stirred in Hermione's arms, but remained sleeping.

Soon the room was full of girls (and some boys form the groups) holding sleeping babies. Professor Kelarpie went around handing diaper bags to the parent who was not holding the baby.

Harry set the bag on the desk and opened it. It was full of typical baby things…food, bottles, formula, bibs, etc. Except no diapers.

"Of course there aren't," Hermione said when Harry commented on this, "They just use the cleaning spell. Here, hold him."

"I…" Harry stammered, "I've never held a baby before."

Hermione looked around.

"Parvarti," she said quietly to the group behind them, "Can you hold Ron for a moment?"

Parvarti, who had just handed the baby Lavender over to Seamus, nodded and took Ron from Hermione.

"Here," Hermione said, "Hold your arms like this…" she moved Harry's arms, then took Ron back from Lavender, and placed the baby into Harry's positioned arms, "Great. Make sure to always keep a hand under his head…good."

"Wow," Harry had to say.

"Great," Hermione said, smiling, "Maybe we should keep Ron like this."

"He might remember you said that," Harry said.

Professor Kelarpie walked over to their group and said quietly,

"You are doing great. I love the chemistry between you two…"

"We are allowed to go to classes with our babies?" Hermione asked.

"Yes."

"Okay," Hermione replied, "But what about potions? Won't it be harmful for them to breathe in?"

"That's one of the challenges of parenthood. You have to figure out for yourself."

Hermione gasped. Then she said,

"But what about Ron's grades? He wont be able to work in classes this young!"

"The teachers have been asked to pause the grade of whoever has been transformed."

"Oh," Hermione said, "Okay. Where will they sleep?"

"Cribs have been placed in the girls and boys dormitories you will switch on and off. There is a paper in there explaining things."

"Okay," Harry said, speaking up just so they knew he was listening.

Suddenly one of the babies began to cry. Which woke up three more, who began to cry. Harry held his breath. Ron stirred, but remained asleep.

"Class is dismissed!" Professor Kelarpie announced, "Please go to your next class!"

Harry and Hermione left the classroom, Hermione carrying the bag and Harry holding the baby (Ron).

"We have the next class together, right?" Harry asked.

People passing by stared at the groups exiting the classroom.

"No," Hermione said, "Let me take him to Ancient Runes. You have Divination next."

"Okay," Harry said, reluctantly handing the baby (Ron, I keep forgetting!) over.

Hermione walked with Ron to the Ancient Runes classroom while Harry headed off for Divination. He caught up with Seamus, who had taken Baby Lavender.

"Weird assignment," Harry commented.

"No kidding," Seamus said.

"Want me to take that?" Harry asked, indicating Seamus's school bag.

"Yeah, thanks," Seamus said when Harry took it, "Um…"

Seamus stared at the ladder leading up to the Divination classroom.

"I'll go up and you can hand her up?" Harry suggested.

So they did that.

"Thanks, again," Seamus said, taking back Baby Lavender.

"Yeah, well…it was nothing."

* * *

**So what do you think? it's a bit odd but it will get better.**


	2. Classes

Baby Lavender and Baby Dean began crying during the middle of Divination. Harry found it a slight relief for something else to concentrate on. Seamus was actually a very good father. He fixed together a bottle of baby formula within seconds and had Baby Lavender quieted down fast. Harry wondered how Hermione was doing with Ron…

In Ancient Runes, Ron was still sleeping. Hermione was very pleased with this, but everyone else that was in Ancient Runes with her was not a part of the Extra Credit class and they were giving her strange looks.

Finally they were dismissed and several girls walked up to Hermione, asking her why she had a baby.

"It's for the Extra Credit's class," Hermione explained, "We have to take care of a baby."

"Awwwww…" one of the girls said, "But how can you use real babies?"

"Can I hold him?"

"What is his name?"

"Yeah, how can you use real babies?"

Hermione handed Ron off to the girl who asked to hold him. Her hands felt empty but she began answering the questions with lengthy answers.

"So they turned Ron into a baby?" one of the girls asked, the one who was holding him, "Awwwww…he's so cute."

"Yes," Hermione said, "Now I really have to get to class."

She said goodbye then headed off to the dungeons where her next class was…Potions.

"Late, Ms. Granger?" Professor Slughorn asked.

"I'm sorry, professor," Hermione said apologetically, "I got caught up-"

"I'll excuse you," professor Slughorn said passively, waving his hand as Hermione sat down at the table with Harry.

"What did you get caught up with?" Harry whispered.

"These girls just wanted to know why I had a baby," replied Hermione with a giggle.

Harry grinned and then took Ron from her.

"He's a very easy baby," Harry said.

"Incredibly," agreed Hermione, listening to Slughorn at the same time she was talking to Harry, "Didn't make a peep…or wake up."

Finally they were sent off to get ingredients for their potion. Harry stayed at the table with Ron…who woke up a few seconds before Hermione came back. Harry held his breath, hoping Ron wouldn't start to cry.

But he didn't. He laughed.

"Strange when you're old, strange when you're a baby," Harry sighed, relieved.

"Harry!" Hermione admonished, setting the ingredients on the table.

"Well he woke up and laughed."

"Everything you say to a baby and a child must always be positive."

"Hermione…do you think he's going to remember everything I say to him?"

"You never know!"

"Whatever, let's just get started."

"He may be hungry."

"If he's Ron-"

"Harry!"

"Just saying!"

Hermione mixed the formula in the bottle and then said,

"Here, Harry, let me have him."

"No, I'll do it.…"

"You sure?"

"Yeah, just show me how. I trust you doing the potion so I'll take care of him."

"Okay. Just keep holding him like that…"

Hermione showed him how to hold the bottle and then got started on the potions work while Harry fed Ron.

Harry was amazed. He was amazed at how small babies were. How their eyes opened and closed as they drank out of the bottles. How small their hands were…how small _everything _was.

"Harry," Hermione said, "It's getting a bit chilly."

"Hmmm?"

"Maybe we should wrap him up in a blanket."

"Yeah, you're right."

Hermione pulled a blue blanket out of the diaper bag and they wrapped Ron inside of it. Harry continued to feed him until the formula was gone.

"Here, now you work on the potion. Let me take him," Hermione said.

Harry handed over Ron (his arms now felt empty). Hermione began to burp the small baby.

"So what do I have to do?" Harry asked.

"Just stir it clockwise."

"Oh…okay."

Potions was the last class of the day. When Harry and Hermione finished dinner (in shifts) they returned to the common room to find a large message posted on the Notice Board saying:

**_Next Extra Credit's Class is October 7th in the same classroom. _**

* * *

**Lalalalalala...end of chapter.**

**Glad you guys like it!**


	3. Open Discussion

"Finally another class," Hermione said happily, handing Ron over to Harry and searching through her bag to write down the next lesson's date in her planner.

The common room was full of teenagers with babies. Some of the babies were crying. Ron just looked around in slight fascination.

"How old do you think she made them?" Harry asked.

"Maybe just a few months old. Maybe we'll find out at the next lesson, she said in each lesson that she was going to add another year."

"Oh…right. I knew that."

"Has Ron been fed since Potions?"

"No, I don't think so."

"We better feed him, then."

They sat down at a table and then Hermione got out the diaper bag and began mixing more formula. She then said,

"Let me have Ron this time…you have more homework."

"_You _have more homework!"

"Yes, but you're slower."

"Thanks." But Harry handed over Ron and pulled out his homework.

"Who get's him for the night?" Hermione asked suddenly, "Wait…get in the bag and find a piece of paper. Professor Kelarpie said there's a paper that explains some things."

Harry dug through the bag and found a piece of paper. He scanned it and then said,

"The first night the cribs are placed in the girls dorms…then it will switch on and off."

"So…girls first?"

"I guess."

Hermione looked at the clock and then said,

"Oh…how will I get my homework done?"

"I dunno. You're the one who said I have to finish my homework."

Harry began to work. He found this hard to do without having Ron to complain with. But he managed to get one essay done, he started on another one and managed to get it finished right as Hermione said,

"I'll do it tomorrow. I'm going to bed. Goodnight Harry."

"Oh!" Harry just exclaimed, "Quidditch!"

"What about it?"

"Some of my players are babies! Like Ron! And…and…"

"No one else, Harry. But…oh no…"

"McClaggen..."

"No!" Harry shouted, making people look up, he lowered his voice and said, "I am not letting him be the keeper. He didn't even try out this year. He can't be."

"Have try outs. Post it on the notice board."

"Okay."

Harry pulled out a piece of parchment and wrote in bold letters about try-outs.

"When?" he asked, chewing on the end of his phoenix feather quill.

"Well…give people time to sort out their schedules…how about in two weeks?"

"There's a game next week, Hermione, against Ravenclaw, remember?"

"Oh, yes…well…three days. It will give you enough time to practice."

"Alright."

Harry wrote down the date and then walked over and posted up the parchment on the notice board. After he walked away some people walked up to the notice board to see what he had wrote.

Harry gathered up his things and then he and Hermione (and Ron) headed off for bed.

The next day was complicated. Ron was more grouchy and cried more than he had the day before…well…he hadn't cried yesterday, so…

"Maybe he's sick," Harry said, rubbing his throbbing forehead (which was a headache, not his scar).

"No, Harry," Hermione said gently as they walked out of the Great Hall, "Babies cry, you know."

"No, I don't know much about babies, actually."

"Oh, right."

Hermione laid Ron against her shoulder and patted his back. He continued to cry.

"Ohhh…" groaned Harry, "Make it stop!"

"Harry, get used to it."

"Ugh…fine. Let me take him to my next class."

"Alright."

Hermione handed Ron over and Harry held him against his shoulder like Hermione had.

"Good luck," Hermione called, running off down the hall.

Days passed and Ron continued to cry a lot more. Finally the next lesson arrived and all the groups arrived on time.

"This is the coolest class!" someone commented as soon as Professor Kelarpie walked in.

"Thank you," she said brightly, "Now…there is another teacher I would like you to meet. His name is Professor Kelarpie."

Everyone laughed. The man walked in, he had black hair like the woman professor Kelarpie and blue eyes.

"This is my husband. Now…he says to call him Regor, which is his first name, so I will allow you to call me by my first name, which is LaRaine."

"Hello," Regor said, "Now…all the girls please go with LaRaine, and the boys stay here with me. It doesn't matter who the babies go with."

The girls followed LaRaine out the door.

"Please put your chairs in a circle," Regor said.

They did so.

"Now!" announced Regor, "We are open for discussion!"

* * *

**Discussion...hehe.**

**Well...I'm so sorry that I haven't updated! I haven't been at my grandparents house for a whiel and the internet is down at MY house. Also it was my birthday on Wednesday!**

**I AM 14!**

**I went to see Corpse Bride with my friends todayand I saw the GoF trailer ont he BIG SCREEN!**

**Also someone pointed out that there was a typo with the dates in the first and second chapters so I am sorry about that.**


	4. An AlmostAccident

The boys looked confused.

"Discussion?" a Hufflepuff said uncertainly, "What are we discussing?"

"Anything!" Regor exclaimed, standing up. He looked around and pointed at a random student, a Ravenclaw boy, "You. How is the project going for you?"

"Okay…" the boy said slowly, "It's okay."

"Just okay?" Regor asked, "Alright. Works for me. Is there anything anyone wants to talk about? Is one parent doing too much work and you aren't getting enough time? Or is one parent not doing enough?"

No one spoke up. Harry pulled the blanket tighter around Ron, who had fallen asleep on the way to the lesson.

"Well then," Regor said, sitting down, "We can just go around the circle and talk about how the project is going. Starting with…" he pointed to the right of him, "You. But first state your name."

They went around the circle, Harry getting nervous with each person stating their problems and some who didn't have problems. Finally it came to Harry. Nervously he said,

"I'm, uh…Harry…Potter."

"Hello, Harry," Regor said, his eyes not even going up to Harry's scar, "So, how's the project going for you?"

"Fine," Harry said truthfully, "It's going fine!"

"Fantastic," Regor said, "I'm glad it's going fine."

After they went completely around the circle the girls walked in, giggling. The chairs were placed back in their original spots.

"How'd it go?" Hermione asked Harry.

"It went okay. What did you guys do?"

"We…talked," Hermione said with a slightly sneaky smile.

"Groups line up please!" LaRaine announced, "Please bring the bottles and make sure your babies are awake!"

Harry and Hermione exchanged glances; all day they had been trying to get Ron _asleep_. Hermione took Ron from Harry and tried to get him to wake up.

He did. And smiled.

"Thank God," Hermione breathed, "Harry. Get out the bottle."

Harry got it out and cleaned it with a quick flick of his wand. Then they lined up with all the other groups.

"You're children will be changed to one year olds!" LaRaine was saying, "Which means they are going to be able to eat some solid foods and baby food."

She was also passing out a small box after the group walked off with a slightly older looking baby.

"They will be crawling and hopefully you will be helping them learn how to walk!"

Harry and Hermione stepped forward. Harry handed her the bottle and LaRaine filled it with a tablespoon full of the liquid Ron had had to drink at the last class.

Hermione tried to get him to drink it, but Ron was being stubborn and refused.

"It's okay if he doesn't drink it right away," LaRaine said, "As long as he drinks it in here."

Finally they got him to drink it. Again it was fast. Ron instantly became slightly larger, but not so much heavier.

Harry took the box from LaRaine and set it on a desk. He opened it and found a piece of paper. He picked it up and read it. It was a list of all the dates of the next classes. Also in the box were clothes that were the right sizes and also toys.

"Harry!" Hermione exclaimed.

"What?" Harry asked, scanning the list.

"Just look."

Harry looked around and then saw Hermione kneeling on the floor watching Ron…who was crawling.

"Already?" Harry asked.

He knelt down beside Hermione.

Several other babies were on the floor now, too.

"Perfect!" LaRaine exclaimed, "You can see how your child interacts with others. What a perfect lesson!"

All the babies seemed to group together in a clear space in the classroom. Parents/students were kneeling on the floor watching. LaRaine went to a closet and began searching through it and finally produced a small box. She then walked over to where the babies were and upturned the box, dumping out several blocks.

Immediately the one-year-olds went for them.

A fight over the blocks caused a few of them to cry. Harry and Hermione watched Ron…who seemed to enjoy just watching. He sat along the sides and watched as all the others played and fought over the colorful blocks.

Soon the class had been kept long enough. LaRaine and Regor wrote out excuses for all the students and excused them.

"He's a bit of a loner, isn't he?" Harry asked, slightly worried as he picked Ron up.

"That's not a bad thing, Harry."

"But…"

"Don't worry about it."

"Alright. Well…I have Divination next. I'll take him."

"Okay, I have a test to focus on anyway. Here's the bag. I emptied the stuff form the box into it."

"Alright."

Harry headed off to the Divination classroom…then remembered about the ladder. But he found it easy to hold Ron with one arm and use the other to climb up the ladder.

Seamus, Neville, and Harry had been late. They gave the written excuses to Professor Trelawny and then took seats at the only empty table left.

Ron and Lavender were the only babies in the class. Neville obviously hadn't been trusted with keeping the baby.

"What do you think of the class?" Seamus asked Harry, as they both pretended to be staring into the crystal balls.

"Divination?"

"No! The extra credit class."

"I dunno…the project is kind of cool."

"Yeah it is-no! Don't touch that!"

Harry looked up.

"What?" he asked.

But Seamus was talking to his baby. Lavender had gotten a hold of the tablecloth and was pulling at it…one hand steadying herself on Seamus's chair. The crystal ball unbalanced and fell off its holder, rolling off the table. Harry suddenly realized that Ron was right in its way. Quickly he picked him up as the crystal ball went crashing to the floor right where Ron had been.

Harry felt his heart thumping and was sure that everyone could hear it.

The almost-accident had been small but was enough to give Harry a heart attack.

"Is he alright?" Neville asked.

"Yeah," Harry managed to say.

"Is everything okay, my dears?" Professor Trelawny asked, striding over.

"We're okay," Seamus said, placing the crystal ball back on its holder.

"I saw an accident," Professor Trelawny said, "Involving a small child."

"We're okay, Professor," Harry said assuringly.

Seamus picked up Lavender and placed her on his lap.

"We're fine," He said.

* * *

**Coming up: Harry and Hermione's first fight!**


	5. A Real Accident

"Harry," Seamus said suddenly, "Try-outs are still today, right?"

"Try-outs?"

"For quidditch. Quidditch keeper, because…" Seamus indicated Ron.

"Oh, yeah. Yeah! Try-outs _are_ today!"

"Oh, okay. Then I'll see you there."

"Alright. Great!"

Harry decided it was safe to let Ron back down again. He opened the diaper bag and got out a few toys, he set them on the ground and Ron immediately began to play with them.

"Good idea," Seamus said, following Harry's suit.

He set Lavender down and Ron looked at her with a quizzical expression, then began playing again.

"I guess they're alright," Harry sighed, "This is so stressful."

"Sometimes," Seamus agreed.

They looked down and watched the two for a bit. Ron and Lavender ignored eachother for a minute or two. Then they merged their toys (blocks) and began to help stack them.

"And just a few months ago Lavender wouldn't even look at Ron," Seamus said with a laugh.

"They probably don't remember anything."

"Well, duh."

Harry shrugged and they went back to work, gazing into the crystal ball. Eventually they got bored and went back to watching their babies stack the blocks. Once the blocks were gone Lavender knocked it over.

Both of them laughed.

"Boys, please get back to work!" Professor Trelawny barked.

Seamus and Harry went back to looking into the crystal ball. Finally professor Trelawny announce the end of class.

Seamus and Harry gathered up the blocks and Neville helped them get the babies to the bottom of the ladder.

"Thanks, Neville," Harry said, taking Ron back.

"No problem. Maybe I'll stop by tonight to watch try-outs."

"Alright. See you there."

Harry headed to his next class (Potions) when he met up with Hermione.

"How was the test?" He asked.

"Fabulous. I think I may have gotten number eleven 'C' wrong, though."

"Right."

"Harry!" someone called down the hall, "Harry, wait!"

Harry stopped walking and Parvati Patil ran up to him.

"What is it?" he asked in surprise.

"I was wondering if Ron was alright. I saw the accident," Parvati said.

"What accident?" Hermione asked.

"It was nothing," Harry assured both of them, "He's okay."

Hermione immediately took Ron from Harry and asked,

"What happened?"

"It's _okay_!" Harry exclaimed, "He's fine!"

The irritable cackling of Peeves was heard over head. The three teens and Ron looked up.

"What have we here?" Peeves cackled, "A pair of squabbling parents?"

"Go away, Peeves!" Harry shouted.

"But it's so entertaining," Peeves laughed.

"Go away!" Harry repeated angrily.

"Now that's not the kind of behavior you want your child to be watching, now is it?" Peeves asked.

Harry rolled his eyes and said to Hermione,

"Come on. We have to get to Potions."

Hermione followed him to the dungeons while Parvati headed down a different hallway. They could hear Peeves still laughing.

"What did happen, Harry?" Hermione asked.

"Lavender unbalanced the crystal ball and it rolled off the table, but I moved Ron out of the way. He's fine."

They arrived to Potions late, but Professor Slughorn said he would excuse them.

"Today we are working on a very difficult potion," he was saying, "We will be attempting to make the Polyjuice Potion, which takes a month. So it will be an elongated project."

He waved his wand and the instructions for that day appeared on the blackboard.

The door opened again and Seamus walked in, carrying Lavender.

"You are excused, Mr. Finnegan," Slughorn said passively.

"Thank's, Professor," Seamus said, walking over to Neville's table, which was next to Harry and Hermione's.

"So you may begin," Slughorn finished.

"I'll get the ingredients," Hermione said, handing Ron over to Harry.

"You're Mum's a bit uptight today," Harry said quietly to Ron, "Just because of that almost-accident. But you aren't hurt, are you? No you aren't."

"No?" Ron repeated.

Harry blinked.

"No," said Ron again, "No."

"Oh, great," Harry said, "Your first word had to be something that makes it easier for you to refuse."

Ron laughed.

"What's so funny?" Hermione asked, setting the ingredients down on the table.

Harry sat Ron down on the table and said,

"Nothing."

"Oh, okay," Hermione said, "So let's get started."

"Wait," Harry said, "We better occupy him or he'll get bored."

"Alright."

Next to them, Seamus had set Lavender on the floor with several toys. Harry did the same with Ron.

"Go play with your friend," Harry said to Ron, who just blinked as Harry set toys down on the ground.

When Harry straightened, Ron crawled over to Lavender, who was stacking blocks.

"Looks like he has a friend," Hermione commented.

"They were playing together in Divination."

"I see," Hermione said.

Harry and Hermione started their potions in silence. Occasionally glancing over to check on Ron, who was busily stacking then demolishing blocks with Lavender.

And suddenly they heard him start to cry. Hermione immediately rushed over and picked him up.

"What's wrong?" she asked.

_Like he's gonna answer,_ Harry thought, rolling his eyes.

"Harry…" Hermione said, her voice shaking, "Harry, he's bleeding."

* * *

**oo**

**Their fight is coming up soon. I promise.**


	6. The Argument

"What?" Harry exclaimed, turning around.

Hermione was right. Ron's hand was bleeding badly.

"What happened?" He asked, then knelt down and looked on the floor for something that could have cut Ron.

"He was standing up when I picked him up," Hermione said over Ron's crying, "Wait…check the table leg. He was holding onto it."

Harry looked at the table and ran his hand down the leg of it. He felt something sharp scratch him lightly.

"It must have been this," Harry said, standing up, "I felt something sharp on the table."

Professor Slughorn walked over.

"Professor," Harry said urgently, "We have to go to the hospital wing."

"Why is that?" Slughorn asked.

"Ron is hurt, sir," Hermione explained frantically.

"Let me see," Slughorn said, noticing that Hermione was holding Ron. Slughorn took the injured hand and looked over it, "I think I can fix this up." He pulled out his wand and waved it over Ron's hand. The blood disappeared and so did the cut.

"Thank you, Professor," Harry said.

Slughorn walked off.

"You should have been watching him!" Hermione snapped.

"Me? You were right there, you could've been watching him, too!"

"You're the one who decided to put him on the floor."

"What else was I supposed to do? He could've gotten into some of the ingredients."

"Just next time, pay attention!"

"Why don't you?"

Harry picked up his school bag and stormed out of the potions classroom with students staring at him and some staring at Hermione.

Harry stayed out on the pitch for hours until people began to show up for the Keeper tryouts. Among the bunch was McClaggen (Harry held back a groan when he walked onto the pitch), Seamus, a fourth year, a fifth year, and a sixth year. Soon the rest of the team walked onto the pitch.

"Is Ron okay?" Seamus asked Harry.

"Yeah, he's fine," Harry said, slightly stiffly.

"I heard the fight. Hermione started crying after you left. Professor Slughorn said that she could leave if she wanted to, but she stayed their and finished the rest of the instructions on the board."

"Oh," Harry said, uninterested.

Finally he told the people trying out for keeper to sit on the bench and the rest of the team flew into the air.

Seamus became the new keeper. He saved three more goals than McClaggen did. Harry was so glad he could have hugged Seamus…but he didn't. Because that would be wrong.

"Congrats!" Harry exclaimed instead, thumping Seamus on the back, "You did great!"

"Thanks," Seamus said, grinning.

McClaggen walked up to Harry, looming over him, and saying,

"Let me go again!"

"We're not doing this like last year, McClaggen, someone beat you. And now he's the keeper. You lost," Harry said flatly, then he and Seamus walked off.

"You gonna make up with Hermione?" Seamus asked.

"If she apologizes."

Seamus raised and eyebrow, then said,

"Okay."

They walked into the common room. Hermione was sitting at a table with Parvati, Ron and Lavender playing on the floor, again, building and demolishing block towers. Seamus sat on the floor with the two babies and began tickling Lavender.

"You watching him closely, Hermione?" Harry asked snappishly as he walked by her.

Harry sat down at a table with Neville. Hermione sighed and asked Parvati to watch Ron for a minute. Then she stood and walked over to Harry.

"Harry," she said as Harry pulled out his homework, "Look…I'm sorry. I didn't mean to blame you for that. It wasn't your fault…I was just still scared…I mean, I saw the blood and it scared me."

Harry looked up. He sighed and then said,

"It sacred me, too."

"So are we on truce?"

"Yeah…truce."

"Hermione?" Parvati asked, "Did you know Ron could talk?"

"What'd he say?" Harry asked.

"I'm not sure," Parvati said, "He talks so quietly."

"They're talking to eachother," Seamus said, indicating Ron and Lavender, "They aren't really using real words."

Harry and Hermione knelt down beside the two babies and listened quietly.

Indeed. Ron and Lavender were talking quietly to eachother, seemingly having a conversation, one would talk then the other.

"Did Ron have anything to eat at dinner?" Harry asked suddenly.

"Yes," Hermione assured him, still listening to the strange words of Ron and Lavender.

"Okay," Harry said, "Oh, yeah, I have him tonight."

Ron turned around to look at Harry, then turned back to the blocks and continued stacking them.

"We better get started on our work," Hermione said, "Well…you better start. I've already started."

Harry walked back over to the table that only contained Neville and he began his work, occasionally looking back over at Ron.

Finally Hermione said that Harry better get Ron to bed. And Harry agreed immediately. He picked up Ron and the bag, then walked up to the boys dorms followed by Seamus and Neville with their babies.

Harry set Ron in the crib while he changed into pajamas, then he dug through the new clothes in the diaper bag to find pajamas to change Ron into.

"Please fall asleep faster tonight," Harry begged, taking Ron out of the crib and wrapping him in a blanket, and then started walking around the room with him, trying to get him to fall asleep.

Finally Harry felt Ron's hands relax on the back of his neck. Harry slowly walked back to the crib and slowly placed Ron in it. Harry held his breath, sometimes Ron would immediately wake up after being placed in his crib.

But he didn't this night.

And Harry was grateful.


	7. Five Years Old

"Someone shut it up!" exclaimed a voice at about three o'clock in the morning.

Lavender's crying awoke Dean and Ron (not to mention Harry, Neville, and Seamus).

The one who was shouting was a boy from a different dorm. Harry, Seamus, and Neville groggily got out of bed and went to their babies. The minute Ron saw Harry he unsteadily got to his feet, holding onto the bars of the crib, and smiled.

"You are so weird," Harry muttered, picking up the small child. He walked back to his bed and sat down, instinctively he did the cleaning charm on Ron (just in case) and then laid down, Ron settling on Harry's stomach.

"Da ba," Ron said.

"Close," Harry muttered, "It's _dada_, kind of. I'm not sure. Call me dada call me Harry. Whichever. I'll have to ask one of our teachers about that one."

"Dada?"

"Works for me."

Ron laughed. Harry closed his eyes, willing himself not to fall asleep, in case he rolled over and hurt Ron in some way.

"Harry," said Seamus, "Don't we have practice anyway this morning?"

"Right!" Harry exclaimed, "Thank you for reminding me."

"No problem…we still have about a few hours to go."

"No," said Ron, staring at Harry, "No go."

"You just taught him a new word," Harry said to Seamus.

"I thought he was already saying 'no'?"

"He was, he said 'go'."

"Lavender's been saying lot's of things. By now they should know up to twenty words."

"How do you know?" Harry asked.

"A book I read. And just recently my mam had another baby."

"Oh," Harry said, "But…"

"What?"

"Nothing."

Harry instantly became worried. Ron hadn't been saying much at all. He would have to bring this up with Hermione sometime soon.

"Dada," said Ron quietly, "Dada…dada."

_Well…he certainly does no a few words and says them about twenty times_, Harry thought.

He accidentally fell asleep about five minutes later. But was awoken by Seamus.

"Harry, get up!" he said.

Harry opened his eyes. The first thing he noticed was that Ron wasn't there.

"Hermione came up and got him," Seamus said, "About five minutes ago. _She _remembered we had practice."

"I'm sorry, Seamus," Harry said, "But let's go."

"It's alright, mate."

"It's not that easy," replied Harry, "Having responsibility."

"I know. So stop talking and get down to the pitch."

Harry changed quickly and then they ran down the stairs and headed out of the common room and down to the pitch.

"You're late," Ginny commented snappishly.

"Sorry," Harry said, "I had to keep Ron that night and-"

"The babies woke up?" Ginny finished questioningly.

"Yeah," Harry said.

"So how is Ron doing?" Ginny asked.

"Well…he's fine."

"What's 'fine'?"

"I'm just worried. He doesn't talk that much."

"So?"

"Well…Seamus said that they should know about twenty words by now."

"It doesn't surprise me that Ron is a bit slow. Seeing as the first time he was that young he didn't talk until he was five years old."

* * *

**Hmmmmmm...**

**Sorry I've been slow. I've had alot of homework. Studying for the WASL already!**


	8. Sugar Quills

"What?" exclaimed Harry in shock, "He didn't talk until…"

"Until he was five, that's right. I remember. He said a few words and all that but…never in full sentences. Ever. Not until a few months after his fifth birthday. Other than that he was fully functional as any other five year old."

Harry was shocked. But he realized he had to start practice so they dropped the conversation.

"It's Hogsmeade today, Harry!" Hermione said excitedly after Harry found her in the Great Hall, "We get to take him to Hogsmeade!"

Harry smiled, he wondered what that'd be like. But then he told Hermione what Ginny had said.

"Oh, Harry," Hermione said, handing Ron over to him, "Ron isn't just going to repeat his childhood…everything will be different this time."

"What if it isn't?" Harry asked, "Seamus said that lavender was already talking a lot. Ron barely knows three words!"

"All children develop differently. Listen, don't worry about it, okay?"

They headed off to the grounds to go into Hogsmeade, where they met up again with Seamus, Lavender, and Parvati.

"This will be so much fun!" Parvati exclaimed, smiling, "Look, Lavvy, it's your friend!"

"Friend," Lavender said happily, reaching out to Ron, "Ron."

But Ron was tired, and didn't pay any attention to Lavender, he just laid his head on Harry's shoulder and closed his eyes.

"He had an early morning," Hermione explained.

"Tell me about it," Seamus said with a laugh.

"Are you guys ready for the game on Wednesday?" Parvati asked as the group went through the gates into Hogsmeade.

"I think s-" Harry was about to say, but was cutoff by someone shouting,

"Harry! Hermione!"

Harry and Hermione turned around and came face to face with Fred and George.

"Hi!" Harry said, shifting Ron into his other arm.

"Ginny wrote and told us about the project," George said, "And we just had to come visit."

"Cool," Harry said, grinning, he looked down at Ron, who was looking at him with large blue eyes, "He had an early morning."

"Awwwww…" Fred said jokingly, "He's so…small."

"Yeah, he is," Hermione commented.

"Let me hold him," George said, holding out his hands.

"I…" Harry said, looking over at Hermione.

"Come on," George said, "You have to trust me. He's my brother!"

Harry handed him over. Ron started to cry.

George handed him back.

Ron started to laugh.

Fred laughed. George scowled.

"Ah, well," Harry said, "We've taught him well."

George thumped Harry on the head. Hermione giggled. Ron laughed.

"That's not funny," George said, "Oh…why don't we take him to Honeydukes? Get him introduced to candy!"

"I don't know…" Hermione said.

But everyone else was against her. The guys took Ron and Lavender into Honeydukes.

"See this?" Harry asked Ron, "All this stuff is good for you!"

"Harry!" Hermione admonished.

"What?" Harry asked, "Lets just get him some candy."

"No, Harry-"

"Here, try this," Fred said, tossing Harry a package of Sugar Quills, "He'll love them, haha."

Hermione sighed. Harry went and bought the Sugar Quills. He then handed one to Ron after they left. Immediately Ron put it in his mouth.

"Typical," was all Harry said.

* * *

**WASLS is our state test that we take each semester. This year its vomits SCIENCE! **


	9. Language

"I told you it was a bad idea," Hermione said, struggling to keep a squirming Ron from climbing out of her arms.

"Let me hold him, then," Harry offered, taking Ron from her, "Jes_us_…maybe I shouldn't have given you sugar."

"Dada!" Lavender cried, "Want tandy, too!"

"We didn't get you any," Seamus said patiently, "And I don't think your mother would approve."

"Tandy now!"

"No."

"Want tandy!"

Harry watched them arguing. Already Lavender was able to carry on a conversation…an argument, no less. Hermione noticed the look on Harry's face an offered him a smile. He smiled emptily back.

"Would you stop wiggling so much?" he asked Ron, who replied moments later, saying,

"No."

"Fine, you can walk, then," Harry said.

"Does he know how to walk?" Parvati asked in shock.

"No," Harry said.

"No," Ron repeated, laughing.

Harry set Ron down on the ground.

"Harry!" Hermione exclaimed.

"What?" Harry asked, "He's on grass…it won't hurt him."

Ron looked stunned. But then he laughed again and began to crawl back over to Harry, who backed away.

"Maybe we should take a small break," Hermione said, sitting down on the grass, "Just play with him a while…all the time at school we're just working!"

"Don't even say the word 'work'!" Seamus exclaimed, falling back onto the grass, "Seventh year is so hard, especially with a baby topping it all off."

"Yeah, and they don't have to work at all!" added Harry.

"But imagine all the make-up work they'll have to do," pointed out Hermione.

"Oh, wow," Parvati said with a laugh, setting Lavender on the ground, "That's going to be a lot."

Hermione nodded, setting out some toys on the ground. Ron and Lavender both crawled after the toys. All the teens sat and watched Ron and Lavender play, listening to them talk in their language that the older one couldn't understand, but the babies seemed to.

"Isn't it weird?" Hermione suddenly asked, startling them all.

"What weird?" Seamus asked.

"That you used to talk like that. You don't understand it now, but you understood it when you were a baby," said Hermione.

"Yeah," Harry said, "It is weird."

Parvati nodded, looking like she had no idea what anyone just said. Harry began listening to Ron and Lavender closer. They were talking quietly and it was slightly hard to tell what they were saying.

_Gry bah tally by by._

_Ja my toll prah._

"Whoa," Harry said, blinking.

"What?" Hermione asked.

"I sort of just felt like I understood what they said!" exclaimed Harry, making Ron and Lavender give him "you're crazy" looks.

"Sure," Seamus said, laughing, "What'd they say?"

"I don't know," Harry said, "I just remember those words…."

Then he laughed at how crazy that sounded. Seamus, Hermione, and Parvati laughed, too.

They returned to the castle two hours later. They ate dinner and then went to the common room, where they found a sign posted, saying:

**Next Extra Credits class this coming Wednesday!**

****

* * *

**yes, science, ew.**


	10. EMPTY

"Oh no!" Hermione said, reading the sign.

"That isn't good," Parvati added, running a finger along the words.

"What?" Harry and Seamus asked in almost perfect unison.

"It's on the same day as your game!" exclaimed Hermione, shifting the one-year-old red head to her other hip, "The lessons are always at twelve…I'll be able to stay and watch for about a half an hour, then I have to head to the lesson. What will you do?"

"I can't skip the game!" Harry said, looking at Seamus, who nodded in agreement, "It's our first game this school year! I'm captain!"

"And you'd kill me if I skipped," Seamus added.

"Well I can't find someone to replace you in four days…except McClaggen…" Harry said, giving Seamus a pointed 'I'll murder you if you don't play' look.

"Look," Parvati said, "It's no big deal, I'm sure LaRaine will understand!"

"I'll tell you everything that they say," Hermione added helpfully, "Well…" she yawned, "I'm tired. You better get to bed two, you guys," she said, handing Ron to Harry, "Good night!"

Harry headed up to bed, talking to Seamus about the game-lesson dilemma.

"I'm sure Hermione can give us a word-by-word replay of the whole lesson," Seamus said, laughing.

Lavender laughed with him. Ron was half-asleep, which Harry was grateful for. The two teenage fathers-in-a-weird-way put the one-year-olds to bed, then fell asleep right away.

Harry had the strangest dream. Hermione, Regor, and LaRaine were talking to him using baby-language, a one-year-old Ron was flying a Sugar Quill in Hogsmeade telling him to hurry up and get to the game and Seamus was standing in a crib shouting to Harry to help him out.

Harry awoke early to the sound of a baby crying. He sat up, rubbing his eyes. Seamus was getting out of his bed and walking to Lavender's crib. Harry stood to check on Ron. He walked over to the crib and looked inside.

The crib was empty…


	11. My Fault

Harry felt a chill run up his spine.

Even the blankets were gone.

"Seamus!" he shouted.

"What, Harry?" Seamus asked groggily, quieting Lavender down.

"He's…he's gone!"

"What?"

"What's going on?" Neville asked, sitting up.

"Ron's gone! He's not here!"

Neville stood up and checked on his baby.

"Dean's here," he said unhelpfully, "Why would Ron be gone?"

"Maybe Hermione came and got him?" Seamus suggested, looking nervous.

"I hope so!" Harry said, his voice shaking, "I'll go see."

"You can't go to the girls dorms," Neville pointed out.

"I don't care!" Harry exclaimed, he ran out of the dorm and ran down the stairs. Hermione was sitting at a table finishing of some homework, "Hermione!" he exclaimed, "Do you have Ron?"

Hermione's eyes widened.

"No," she said, standing up, "Why?"

"He's gone!"

"What?"

"I told you, he's gone!"

"Gone?"

"YES!"

"Harry!"

Harry turned around and saw Seamus holding a wiggling Ron in his arms. Harry and Hermione could breathe once more.

"Where was he?" Harry asked immediately, rushing over and taking Ron from Seamus.

"Under the crib," Seamus said, grinning, "He must've learned how to get out of it."

"What a sneak," Harry muttered, feeling his hands tighten on Ron, "Don't you ever scare me ever again!"

Hermione walked over to the three just as the clock chimed 6 o'clock. She grabbed Ron from Harry and said,

"Harry! I can't believe you let that happen!"

"What?" Harry exclaimed, "That wasn't my fault! I was asleep! How was I sup-"

"You should learn to wake up every once and a while and check on him! What if he had fallen out and gotten seriously hurt?"

"He would have cried and I would've woken up!"

"So you would have just waited until he cried?"

"It wasn't my f-"

Hermione 'hmphed' and stalked up the stairs to the girls dorms. Harry gaped at Seamus.

"How does she figure that out to be MY fault?" he asked.

"No clue," Seamus said truthfully.


	12. Sick

That day Harry and Hermione did not talk, except when they had separate classes and said 'You take him.' Harry was surprised that Hermione was letting him even touch Ron now.

However, Ron was starting to be difficult. He didn't want to eat or play or do anything but cry. Harry was starting to wonder if he was sick, and decided to ask professor McGonagall…because, hey, she was a woman, right? She would know.

After Transfiguration (which Hermione was no longer in until after lunch) Harry went up to Professor McGonagall.

"What is it, Potter?" she asked.

"I think Ron may be sick, Professor, but I'm not sure how to know for sure."

"What is wrong with him?"

"Well, he won't eat…he's just been grumpy all day."

And at the time, the red-head one-year-old was crying into Harry's shoulder.

"I see…is he running a fever?"

"I…I don't know, Professor."

At that moment, the class after Harry's was walking into the classroom.

"Take him to Madame Pompfrey, Potter, she can take his temperature and watch after him as you go to your next class."

"Alright, thank you, Professor."

Harry rushed off to the Hospital Wing. Madame Pompfrey walked out of her office and said,

"What is it, Potter?"

"I think he's sick," Harry said once more, "He doesn't want to eat anything and has been crying all day. Professor McGonagall told me to bring him to you."

"Okay, just leave him here, Potter, go to your next class quickly and come back afterwards."

She held out her hands for Ron, but he clutched onto Harry's shirt.

"Come on, Buddy," Harry said, "It's just for an hour and a half, I'll be back later…come on."

Eventually Madame Pompfrey was able to get him…Ron cried, and cried as Madame Pompfrey wrote Harry out an excuse for Harry's next class for being late, and cried as Harry left. Harry hated to leave, a feeling of emptiness surrounded him. Harry sighed heavily after the Hospital Wing door shut.

He walked into the Potions classroom late. He walked up to Snape and handed him the note for his excuse, and walked over to Seamus's table, leaving Hermione alone at hers, looking confused and angry.

"Where's Ron?" Seamus whispered as Snape went on with the lesson.

"He's sick, Madame Pompfrey just told me to leave him with her," Harry replied quietly.

After Potions Hermione walked up to Harry and said angrily,

"Where's Ron?"

"He's with Madame Pompfrey-"

"Why?"

"He's sick, Hermione."

"Did she say th-"

"No, but he is."

"How are you supposed to know?"

"I didn't…that's why I took him to Madame Pompfre-"

"Ugh!" Hermione huffed, then walked away from him and headed for the Hospital Wing. Harry rolled his eyes and muttered,

"She'll find out I was right and get even angrier at me!"

* * *

**Doesn't it always seem like that happens to you? Someone's mad at you and then you're right about something they were wrong about and they get even angrier at you!**


	13. The Plan

Harry just went to his next class. Hermione arrived fifteen minutes late and gave Professor Binns a note to excuse her. She went and sat down next to Harry, who said,

"He's sick isn't he?"

Hermione didn't reply. Harry couldn't help smiling smugly at her, he pulled out parchment and dipped his quill into the ink to start writing notes, that's how happy he was that he was right.

"We can get him back after this class," Hermione muttered.

"Okay," said Harry.

After class, Harry and Hermione both headed to the Hospital Wing and met up with Madame Pompfrey.

"He's all better," she said, walking over to a crib that she had most likely conjured, "Just had to give him a bit of watered-down coolant potion."

"Isn't that dangerous?" Hermione asked in a worried tone.

"I said 'watered-down', and I only gave him a few drops. His temperature is normal and I kept him for a few hours to make sure his temperature stayed normal."

Harry picked Ron up (he stayed asleep) and said,

"Thanks, Madame Pompfrey. We were both worried."

Hermione looked at Harry with slight disgust in her features, she stiffly picked up the diaper bag and both she and Harry walked out of the Hospital Wing and headed for dinner.

"You're mad at me, aren't you?" Harry asked.

Hermione did not answer. Harry stood in front of her.

"So now you're mad at me for being _responsible?_" he asked, "Just yesterday you were mad at me for being irresponsible and now you're mad at me for being responsible."

Hermione ignored him and walked right past. Harry followed her to the Great Hall, all the while formulating a plan for the next day.

The next day (A.N Lol) was the game. Hermione took Ron to see Harry before Harry headed off to the fields. Little did she know his plan.

"I'll see you later, Buddy," Harry said, "See you, Herms."

Before Harry went out to the field, he went into the locker rooms and talked to his teammates.

The door to the locker rooms opened.

"Sorry," said Ginny, "I forgot about the thing, Harry. I was up in the stands when I saw Hermione and I remembered-"

Harry cut her off and said,

"It's fine. Just wait in here until I'm able to come back in."

"Alright," said Ginny, she glanced at a clock on the while, "You have fifteen minutes…maybe we'll win by then."

"I don't know," said Harry, "Slytherins looking a lot better now that Malfoy is gone."

Finally the team filed onto the field and took their positions. Madame Hooch gave her usual little talk, then blew her whistle. Harry flew around the field, watching the game and looking for the snitch. He glanced down to the stands and spotted Hermione and Ron, Ron watching the game as intently as he had been when he was 14 and watching the Quidditch World cup.

He glanced at his watch and noted that he had ten minutes.

There was no sign of the snitch anywhere. Harry circled the field over and over, watching the game and dodging Bludgers. He flew by Seamus, who was just as good as Ron was…which bothered Harry profusely.

"You're doing great!" he shouted.

Seamus looked up and grinned. Then he said,

"You leaving?"

"In about 8 minutes!"

Harry dodged a Bludger and then hovered between the stands and Madame Hooch. He finally spotted Hermione leave and told himself to stop the game in 5 minutes.

His eyes scanned the field, not spotting a glimpse of gold. The Slytherin seeker didn't seem to be having any luck either.

Finally he called a time out and told Madame Hooch that he was switching positions. She said it would be fine and Harry flew down to the locker rooms.

"Ready?" he asked Ginny, walking inside.

"Ready," she said, "Are you ready?"

"Yeah," said Harry, grinning, "Go on out."

Ginny grabbed her broom and flew out of the locker rooms and onto the field. Harry heard the game continue as he changed quickly into his Hogwarts uniform. He then rushed out and headed to the castle.

He ran until he came across the 5th floor, then he started walking so he could catch his breath. Finally he opened the classroom door. Heads turned and Harry said simply,

"Sorry I'm late, LaRaine."

* * *

**I am currently writing "The Rupert Grint Story", lol, and if I can trust you I will allow you to send me an email (please have the subject as TRGS or I will delete it) asking for the first few chapters.Basically its about Rupert sort of having too much pressure because he's become a top male model (lol) and he's sort of breaking down. it's kind of depressing, as all my stories, but its different! What I meant by being able to trust you, is that i dont want you to psot it naywhere and take credit for it, because that's happened to me :(. So send an email asking for the first few chapters if you like, and PLEASE PLEASE PLEASE PLEASE entitle the subject as "TRGS" ro you CAN be sure that i will not read it.**


	14. Getting Out

**_THIS IS NOT AN HHR STORY! Please stop asking!_**

* * *

Hermione's eyes widened, but she just turned back to the circle.

"Quite alright, potter," LaRaine said, "We're just having a large group discussion. Well…we're finished now…and now all our children will be one year older!"

"Oh, Jesus," said Harry, as Hermione stood up and headed for a desk, "One more year…he'll be three then. That means he'll be walking."

"Yeah," said Hermione, "He will be a little tougher to handle."

The groups lined up. Ron, again, was being difficult to hold so Hermione set him on the ground and allowed him to crawl around until he had to drink the potion.

He did not grow at all. He stayed the same size. And then fell asleep.

After the last group was done, class was dismissed.

"I can't believe you skipped your game," Hermione said, "Your first game of the season and you skipped it to come to class."

"Hey…it's almost like Ron's birthday, and I would never miss that," said Harry.

Hermione didn't say anything. But they finally came upon the common room and stated the password.

"We won!" Ginny exclaimed as soon as the door opened, revealing who was coming in, "Harry! We won! Two hundred and eighty to seventy!"

She hugged him tightly as Hermione wandered off to an empty table. Harry was mobbed by team players and was given a play-by-play on what happened at the game. Finally he was able to get over to Hermione and Ron…who was now awake.

"Sometimes the after party is the worst," said Harry, "Hey, Ron."

Ron looked up, he had been drawing on a piece of parchment with crayons.

"Where did the crayons come from?" Harry asked.

"The bag," said Hermione, "What are you drawing, Ronnie?"

Ron paused, and then picked up a black crayon and scribbled over what he had just finished drawing.

"Why did you do that?" Harry asked, reaching over and taking the parchment. But the picture was now not distinguishable with the black crayon scribbling.

Parvati and Seamus walked over with Lavender just then.

"So I take it you played well?" Harry asked Seamus.

"I was alright," said Seamus.

Ron slid off of Hermione's lap and walked over to Lavender. Harry turned back to Seamus.

"I think Ron's better," yawned Seamus, "Well…on one of his good days."

"You were just as good as him," said Parvati.

"At least we have a new backup," said Harry, "Instead of McClaggen…when Ron's back to normal I'm sure he'll be happy." Harry glanced around. "Um…"

"Oh, dear," said Parvati, "Did anyone happen to see where they went?"

The four stood up and began walking around the common room, weaving in and out of groups. Finally they found Lavender.

"Lav," said Parvati, "Where's Ron?"

"I don't know," said Lavender, shrugging.

"Oh, dear," said Hermione.

Soon more and more people were searching for Ron. Under tables, upstairs, downstairs, in dark corners, and just absolutely everywhere.

"Do you happen to be looking for a red-headed toddler?" asked a witch in a portrait to Harry.

"Yes!" Harry exclaimed.

"He's out in the hallway," said the witch.

"How did he get there?" Harry asked in shock.

"I'm not sure," said the witch.

Harry ran out of the common room and spotted Ron wandering down a lit corridor. Harry ran after him and scooped him up.

"You're going to be the death of me," said Harry, "I'm now starting to wish you were normal aged again! At least you can take care of yourself. How did you get out?"

Ron just blinked, and then struggled to be let back down. Harry kept a hold of his hand as they walked back to the common room.

* * *

**Don't forget about that Rupert Grint story I'm writing that can be emailed to you. For more details go back one or twochapters on this story. For the RG story I ahve about 6 chapeters written so if you want it to be emailed to you, email me. My email address is on my profile page!**


	15. Problem

Ron stayed with Hermione the first night. Which she said went really well.

"He always sleeps all night long," said Harry, "Thankfully."

Hermione yawned and nodded.

"I still don't know why I'm so tired, then," she said unhappily. She and Harry were walking down the hall going to breakfast, each taking a hold of one of Ron's hands.

"I don't know either," said Harry, "And I am, too…so…"

Ron looked up at his "parents" but said nothing. He just kept walking. Soon they came into the great hall and Ron proceeded to yank on their hands, trying to get loose. Harry and Hermione spotted Seamus, Parvati, and Lavender and they walked over.

"How did you sleep?" Hermione asked them, letting go of Ron's hand and allowing him to sit on the floor with his friend.

"I slept okay," said Parvati, "You probably know that Lavender didn't cry…so I slept okay."

Hermione nodded.

"I slept fine," said Seamus, "Great, actually."

"I just can't manage to get to sleep until about four hours after trying," said Harry irritably, "Wish I wasn't such an insomniac!"

"Yeah," said Hermione, "Me too. Then you wouldn't have such a bad attitude."

"I have a bad attitude?" asked Harry, "Try you, blaming every little thing that goes wrong on me!"

"I do _not _blame everything on you!" shouted Hermione, "It just always happens to be your fault!"

Before Harry could even retaliate, Parvati said,

"You shouldn't fight in front of the children."

Harry and Hermione quieted, still staring daggers at eachother. Then they scooped food onto their plates. Hermione tried to feed Ron but he wouldn't eat anything.

Finally the two "families" left the Great Hall and headed to the dungeons for Potions.

"Hasn't said a word yet, huh?" Seamus asked Harry.

"Not a word," said Harry, "It's bugging the hell out of me."

"Harry!" Hermione admonished

"What?" he asked, "It is bugging me-"

"Do not swear in front of the children!" said Hermione angrily.

"Well they have to learn it somehow," said Harry innocently.

Hermione glared at him, Harry just grinned.

"It's not funny," said Hermione.

"I'm not laughing," replied Harry.

"You were going to."

"And you are right now," said Harry.

"No I'm not," said Hermione, the ends of her mouth twitching.

"Yes you are."

They entered the classroom and the four parents and two children sat at the same table. Hermione and Parvati set out toys for the toddlers and then waited for the class to begin.

"Today," said Slughorn, "We are going to make the Drought of Forgetfulness. It is a partner project, so choose your partner."

He tapped his wand on the blackboard, the ingredients appeared there.

"You may begin," he said lazily, "And please keep the little ones out of the ingredients. They are harmful."

Harry went to get the ingredients while Hermione watched Ron. One thing she noticed straight away was that Ron was very possessive, getting angry if Lavender ever touched anything that he had around him.

"Is this all?" Harry asked, walking over with the ingredients.

"Um…" said Hermione, checking over them, "Yeah. Let's get started."

Only a few minutes into the potion-making, a first year girl walked into the classroom and went to Slughorn. They talked for a moment, then Slughorn said,

"All students who are a part of the Extra Credit assignment, please go to the Extra Credit classroom…there is an important meeting there right now."

Harry, Hermione, Seamus, and Parvati gathered their things and then took Ron and Lavender out of the classroom. They went to the fifth floor and then into the classroom. LaRaine and Regor were there, looking nervous. Once everyone was there, LaRaine said,

"There is a problem."

* * *

**Uh oh!**


	16. Different

"Problem?" Harry asked, "What's the problem?"

"We were getting to that," said Regor, "The problem is…"

"The problem is that we ran out of potion," said LaRaine.

"The aging potion?" Hermione asked, "And that is very difficult to get! And especially make!"

"Yes," said LaRaine, "We thought we had enough. But we got so many people for this class that…we ran out."

"What are you going to do?" Harry asked, "They can't stay this age." He lifted the redheaded toddler onto his lap.

"We know," said LaRaine, "We have been getting the potion from the Ministry of Magic…and we can't possibly ask for more."

"Why not?" asked Hermione, "They're supposed to have a very large supply of it."

"We took half of that," said Regor, "If we do ask for more…we'd have to pay for it. And we don't have that kind of money."

"How much?" Harry asked.

"At least ten Galleons a bottle," said LaRaine, "But if we have the children skip a few ages I'm sure we'd be able to get through the lesson with only ten bottles."

"So about one hundred Galleons?" Harry asked, "I can pay for it."

"We couldn't ask you to do that," said Regor, "You're a student."

"We can all pool our money," said Hermione, "That way we're all paying for it."

"Why don't you just go back to your lessons while we think about it," said LaRaine, "So go ahead. You are dismissed."

The groups left whispering in panicked tones.

"How could they run out?" Hermione asked disdainfully, "That's not very professional if they're teachers!"

"Hermione, cool it," said Harry with a laugh, "It'll be fine."

She did calm down. Then they went back to Potions after meeting back up with Seamus, Parvati, and Lavender. They went back to making the Draught of Forgetfulness.

"Do you have a game coming up?" Parvati asked.

"Um…" thought Harry, "Next week with Hufflepuff I think."

Hermione wasn't listening. She was watching Ron, who was looking up at her with a pained look, as though he understood the problem as much as she did. Hermione then continued stirring the potion as Harry and Seamus worked out a strategy for the game against Hufflepuff…since they had a new seeker.

"They have a new seeker?" Hermione asked, "Who?"

"Some person named Josh Richardson," said Seamus, "He's a first year but he's way good."

"More or less better than Harry, of course," said Parvati.

"Less, of course," said Seamus, "But he's up there."

"He's kind of cute," said Parvati.

"Parvati," said Seamus in an exasperated tone, "He's a first year. He's six years younger than you."

"He's an exception," sniffed Parvati, "I mean…he's way better looking than you."

Seamus glared at her.

"Back to quidditch?" asked Harry in a pleading tone.

"Right, quidditch," said Seamus.

Hermione shook her head. When it came to guys at Hogwarts and quidditch…she could really get annoyed. Seconds later a crash interrupted the lesson. Everyone looked around and saw Neville standing over a large mess of glass.

"Clean it up, quick!" a girl exclaimed, "The babies will get cut!"

Hermione quickly checked on Ron and Lavender, they were fine. She breathed a sigh of relief as Professor Slughorn cleaned up the mess. She went back to stirring the potion, but then a shriek split through the air, followed by crying. Hermione looked down. It was Lavender.

"Parvati!" Hermione said, "Lavender is hurt!"

Parvati quickly got to her knees. Lavender was holding a piece of glass, her hand was covered in blood.

Hermione quickly ran over to Professor Slughorn and told him what had happened. He hurried over to the scene and healed Lavender's hand quickly.

"Thank you," said Parvati, still trying to calm Lavender down.

Hermione picked up Ron and set him on the table. That's when she noticed the blood. For a few seconds she thought it may have been Lavenders, but it was Ron's. He had gotten a hold of a shard of glass, also.

"How could he get hurt like that and not cry?" Harry asked in shock, taking the glass from the toddler.

"I don't know," said Hermione, then called Slughorn over, "I mean…he can't be that tough. Not at this age."

Professor Slughorn healed Ron's hand. Hermione sighed.

"He's just…too quiet. I mean…I wish he would cry. Not that much, but I wish he would just talk."

Harry shrugged.

"He's just…different," he said.


	17. Cry or Scream

"Cry…" said Harry, staring at Ron, "Cry…scream…please!"

Ron acted like Harry wasn't even there. The toddler was sitting on the floor. Harry was laying on his stomach staring at him.

"Harry…" said Hermione with a laugh, "Give it up."

"Say something!" Harry pleaded, "Like 'goo goo ga ga' or something. You talked when you were two!"

Ron grabbed a chair and stood up. He then went over to Hermione and held his arms out. She picked him up. Harry sighed and rolled over onto his back. He sighed.

"I wish he would say something!"

"Nothing's wrong with him not talking, Harry," said Hermione, cradling the small toddler in her arms, "It's not bad. My cousin didn't start talking until she was seven."

"But it's so annoying!" exclaimed Harry.

Seamus and Parvati laughed. Lavender was asleep in Seamus's arms. Ron was getting there.

"So…about our game against Hufflepuff," said Seamus, "What are we going to do about Josh?"

"What about him?" asked Harry, "He's no threat."

"I don't know about that," said Parvati, "The stuff we hear-"

"Is from Hufflepuffs who are trying to scare us," finished Harry, "I'm telling you, he's no threat. He's a first year."

"That's what they said about you," pointed out Hermione, "And look how you ended up."

"Exactly," added Seamus, "But if you say he's no threat."

"How could someone named Josh Richardson be a threat?" asked Harry, "That sounds so…American."

"What's bad about being American?" asked Hermione.

"Well…Josh, I mean…come on…it's…so…outdated," Parvati said, "Harry has a point."

"We've gone from his talent to his name," laughed Seamus, "But 'Harry' is outdated, too."

Harry shot Seamus a glare.

"I'm just saying," said Seamus.

"Right," said Harry, "At least Ron would agree with me."

"If he was…um…here?" asked Hermione with a laugh.

"Yeah," said Harry, "But he's not…in a way…"

"Okay, Harry…you have to admit…Josh is good," said Seamus, "So…how are you going to outdo him?"

"I don't need a strategy!" exclaimed Harry.

"You haven't seen him!"

"That's not a problem," said Harry, rolling his eyes, "Come on. Ron would agree with me."

"Your only saying that because you an put words in his mouth when he's not here."

"Yes, I am," said Harry.

Everyone laughed. Ron just stared at Harry like he was nuts. Harry closed his eyes and ran a hand through his hair.

"Ok. I'm going to bed," he said tiredly.

"Here," said Hermione, handing Ron to him.

"Is he still caged?" asked Harry.

"What?" asked Hermione, looking stunned.

"Does he still sleep in a crib?"

"Oh! Yes, he does."

Harry took Ron up the stairs, Seamus following with Lavender. Ron fell asleep just as Harry changed him into his pajamas. Harry gratefully placed Ron into his crib and wrapped a blanket around him.

"Ugh," said Harry, falling back onto his bed, "I'm just gonna fall asleep in my clothes. I have no strength."

"Why?" asked Seamus, "Ron isn't hard to take care of."

"I know…I think it's the practices. Maybe I'll cut down on them."

"After our Hufflepuff game," instructed Seamus.

"Josh isn't as good as everyone says!" Harry exclaimed, "Just shut up about him!"

"Okay, okay, whatever you say, Captain," Seamus said, backing off.

* * *

**Lol. So what's up, people? My comps been fried. So I skipped 4th period to write this to keep you satisfied! I just love y'all. Feel special. I got detention for skipping 4th period but I just played "Go Fish" with a junkie in detention, so its all good. **


	18. WE LOST!

"So are you all ready?" Harry asked his team.

It was the game against Hufflepuff. Hermione was up in the stands with Ron and Parvati and Lavender.

"Yeah!" the team cheered.

"But are you ready?" asked Seamus, "I swear, Harry, we might lose with that Richardson kid."

Harry rolled his eyes and everyone flew up to their spots. Harry caught his first look at Josh. He was like a miniature version of Cedric (Harry felt a electric feeling shoot though him, but not a good one, as he thought of Cedric) he was the kind of kid who looked like he was all about looks, but had the strength underneath everything…and determination. But he did look like a nice person.

"Captains shake hands!" called Madame Hooch.

Then the game began. Harry caught eyes with Josh, the kid smiled. Harry felt himself scowl for some reason. His first thought about the first year…total fake.

Harry stayed above the Gryffindor goal hoops, scanning the field for the snitch. Five minutes into the game and he saw nothing. He switched positions, closer to the stands this time. Three minutes later he saw Josh swoop down. Harry followed him.

But three seconds later he felt ready to throw up. Because he heard the words from the commentator,

"And Richardson get's the snitch! Hufflepuff wins!"

The stands were silent for a few moments. Everyone letting the fact that Harry had not gotten the snitch sink in…and then the Hufflepuff crowds cheered exuberantly. The teams lowered to the ground…the Gryffindor team was humble.

Harry's entire body was numb.

Never.

Not since he had played on the Gryffindor Quidditch team…never had he lost even once. Not once.

Well…except for when he had fallen off his broom in third year. But that didn't count.

"Good game?"

Harry blinked, and the sight of the first year Hufflepuff Seeker was standing in front of him, holding out his hand (the other one was holding the snitch).

Harry was a sore loser. He walked away without a single word.

"We lost," said Seamus in the locker rooms.

"I know," snapped Harry.

"I told you we might."

"I know."

The Gryffindors changed gloomily back into their school uniforms and then filed out. Hermione met up with Harry, holding Ron's hand.

"Tough luck," said Hermione, "Everyone told you that Josh was really good. He's a cute kid, though."

"Oh yeah," said Harry angrily, "Real cute. I don't think anything could make this moment better…or this day…or the rest of my life."

"This won't haunt you that long," said Hermione as they walked back to the castle.

"Yeah it will," muttered Harry, "That stupid, idiotic…"

He didn't say anything more.

"Blow off some steam at Hogsmeade tomorrow," said Hermione calmly, "Buy Ron some candy!" she grinned.

"Tandy."

* * *

**Poor Harry...he lost! **

**Ah well. And NO, i'm not telling you who just said "Tandy". I'm not, I'm not...(puts duck tape over mouth and handcuffs hands behind the office chair)**


	19. Where Did They Go?

Both Hermione and Harry looked down at Ron. He looked back, grinning. But he said nothing else. (A.N yes, that does mean Ron was the one who said "Tandy").

"Did he just talk?" asked Harry.

Hermione rolled her eyes and bent down. She scooped up their child and then said,

"Yes, he did."

Harry looked up to the clear, blue sky.

"Thank you!" he exclaimed.

Both Hermione and Ron gave him a strange look. Harry rushed over and grabbed Ron from Hermione.

"You talked!" Harry exclaimed, "Say it again. Say it _one _more time!"

Hermione laughed. Ron's face was blank once more.

"Just one more time," begged Harry.

Ron said nothing.

"That was him, right?" asked Harry.

"Yes, Harry," said Hermione, taking Ron from him, "It was…."

Suddenly Seamus, Parvati, and Lavender caught up with them. Harry sighed, but he was smiling.

"Hey guys," he said happily to Seamus and Parvati.

"Harry, we just lost," said Seamus, "How can you be happy?"

"No clue," lied Harry, "So…are we gonna hang out in Hogsmeade tomorrow?"

"Sure," said Seamus with a shrug.

x-X-x-X-x

"To Honeydukes!" announced Harry.

It was the first shop they went to.

"Choose a candy, any candy," continued Harry, setting Ron down.

Ron looked over at him, and then walked off, looking at all the brightly wrapped candies and other sweets.

"Well, at least there's one thing right about him," said Harry to Hermione, who smacked his arm.

"What?" Harry asked, "I'm just saying at least we haven't screwed him up so much that he doesn't know what candy is."

Hermione shook her head and rolled her eyes. Seamus had set Lavender on the shop floor too and was letting her wander around. Parvati kept a close eye on both children since Harry and Hermione were busy arguing and Seamus was looking at the candy, too.

Suddenly Parvati got sidetracked by her twin sister showing her a necklace that she had just bought.

When Parvati looked back to where the toddlers had been…they were gone.

"Hermione!" Parvati exclaimed, "Where did they go?"

"What?" Hermione asked, looking at Parvati.

"They're gone!" exclaimed Parvati, rushing over to where Ron and Lavender had been.

The four distressed "parents" rushed around the candy shop (A.N Candy shop, teehee) looking for the toddlers and asking others if they had seen them.

No one had. Hermione became very panicky, so did Parvati. Seamus and Harry ran outside to see if somehow the two had gotten out. Suddenly Padma ran up to Harry.

"Harry!" she said, "I saw someone with Ron and Lavender go down that alleyway!"

She pointed to the alley that ran down the side of Honeydukes. Harry and Seamus pulled out their wands and ran down the alley. Then they saw someone in a large black cloak walking, holding on to the hands of Ron and Lavender.

"STUPEFY!" Harry shouted, pointing his wand at the person in the cloak. The person fell to the ground, taking Ron and Lavender with him.

"Go get a teacher," Harry said to Seamus.

Seamus ran off and Harry ran down the alley to where the person had fallen. Lavender was crying, Ron just sat up. Harry picked up Lavender and tried calming her down as he lowered the cloak of the person who had taken the toddlers.

* * *

**()laughs evily()**


	20. And Its

It was Josh Richardson.

"You little-" Harry began, but was cutoff by hearing Seamus's voice.

"Over here, Professor!"

Harry looked up and saw Seamus and Professor Flitwick running over.

"Are the babies alright?" asked Seamus.

"They're fine, but look who took them," said Harry angrily, moving his arm so Seamus could see.

"What?" Seamus exclaimed, "Why that little…!"

Seamus took Lavender and Harry picked up his red-headed "child". Professor Flitwick pulled Josh out of his daze and said,

"Come, Mr. Richardson…we must go talk to Headmaster McGonagall."

"Wait," said Harry, "Why'd you do it?"

Josh didn't answer, he just followed professor Flitwick down the alley.

"I knew he was a fake from the minute I saw him," said Harry grudgingly, "Is Lavender okay?"

"Yeah," said Seamus, "What about Ron?"

Harry checked over Ron, and found that his hands were scratched up and bleeding…of course, Ron wasn't crying. Harry sighed and hugged Ron tightly. Harry wondered if he had ever gotten hurt when he was a baby and how his parents felt when he did.

"You okay, Harry?" asked Seamus, cuffing his friend on the shoulder.

"Yeah," said Harry, "Just thinking…" he took a deep breath…he did not feel like letting go of Ron at the moment.

"About what? Walk and talk." (A.N Walk and talk, I always say that to my friends.)

"Just thinking. I mean, you think about if this is how your parents feel whenever they don't know where you are…I mean…now that we're parents…in a way."

"Yeah," said Seamus, "I know what you mean."

Harry nodded. He sighed, and heard Ron sigh.

"You never did get candy, huh?" Harry asked quietly.

Harry brought Ron into Honeydukes, where they found Hermione and Parvati with Padma.

"Oh, thank goodness!" Hermione exclaimed, running over to Harry.

"He's fine," said Harry, keeping a hold on Ron, "He's fine."

"Who took them?" Padma asked.

"That Josh Richardson kid from Hufflepuff," replied Harry, "Hermione, you may want to check out Ron's hands, they got scratched up a bit."

Hermione looked at the young child's hands as Harry still held onto him. Hermione healed them with a simple spell and took a deep breath before saying,

"You told a teacher, right? You told a teacher that he took Ron and Lavender?"

"Yeah," said Seamus, "I got Flitwick after Harry stunned Richardson. Flitwick is taking him to McGonagall."

"Okay, good," said Hermione.

Harry finally got up the courage to let Ron walk around on his own.

"You know what I just thought?" asked Hermione, as she and Harry followed Ron around the store, "How could Josh have gotten into Hogsmeade to take Ron and Lavender in the first place?"

"No idea," said Harry, "No idea."

* * *

**And a song lyric to set the mood. From Eminem's album "Encore", it is "Evil Deeds":**

_Lord please forgive me for what I do  
For I know not what I've done_

Father please forgive me for I know not what I do  
I just never had the chance to ever meet you  
Therefore I did not know that I would grow to be  
My mother's evil seed and do these evil deeds  



	21. Relief

Ron finally chose Sugar Quills and Harry purchased them.

"Let's take them to the Shrieking Shack," said Hermione suddenly, "I wonder if they…you know…sort of…remember it."

"Alright," agreed Harry, looking over at Seamus and Parvati, who also agreed.

But just as they headed for the Shrieking Shack, it began to rain.

"Maybe we better not," said Hermione, "Come on…we better get somewhere dry so Ron and Lavender don't get sick."

The closest dry place was the Hogs Head. So the two "families" went in and sat down at a table. Harry gave Ron a Sugar Quill and then ordered drinks for himself and Hermione while Seamus ordered drinks for himself and Parvati.

Hermione was getting out parchment and crayons for Ron when Harry came back with the drinks and asked,

"So what do you guys think? Why would Josh steal the babies?"

"Not for revenge," said Seamus, "I mean…they won the quidditch game."

"Yeah," said Parvati, "I was just thinking that."

"It makes no sense," agreed Hermione as Ron began to color with the crayons.

They all discussed it for a while until Hermione noticed Ron getting bored with coloring. He pulled something out of his pocket. It was a slip of paper that Hermione took from him and read out loud:

_I, Professor Regor Kelarpie, give Josh Richardson permission to go into Hogsmeade village to perform a task for me. Please if he is caught by a teacher bring him to me and I shall excuse him from punishment. _

"That kinda explains it," said Seamus after a long pause.

"What a sneak!" Harry exclaimed, looking at Ron, "I wonder how he got that from Josh."

"Me, too," added Hermione slowly.

"What?" asked Harry, "What is it now?"

"Well," said Hermione, "This sort of explains…maybe Josh was asked to take Ron and Lavender away from us."

And as they returned back to the castle they saw a sign on the notice board that caused some slight relief to most students:

**Next Extra Credit class tomorrow (November 13th) at 1:30 p.m. **

"I bet that will explain the whole Josh situation," said Seamus.

"And hopefully it means that they got some more Aging Potion," added Hermione hopefully.

"Yeah, hopefully," said Harry, "Sooner we get Ron all grown up the better."

"Why?" asked Hermione, handing the sleeping Ron over to Harry.

"Because I'm sick of not having both of my best friends around," replied Harry, "And I need to have Ron to throw off homework with."

"We can only hope," said Hermione with a smile.

* * *

**I'm skipping the lyric. I had to get this up fast. **


	22. The End

So the next day at 1:30, Harry, Hermione, and Ron headed to the classroom.

They got only a slight shock when they opened the door and saw Josh sitting in there with Regor and LaRaine. But Harry and Hermione said nothing at sat down at a desk, waiting.

Soon the room bean filling with "families" and the lesson started.

"So," said Regor happily, "I'll bet you that in the last week, for some odd reason, plenty of you lost their children?"

Murmurs and whispers filled the room, some people nodded.

"Well…that's okay," added LaRaine, "Because it was us…and our nephew, Josh."

(A.N HAHAHAHAHA, nephew. HA. Sorry. Bet you guys didn't see that one coming. Um…yeah. Sorry, it's early morning, here. I'm a little tired.)

Some people started to laugh. Harry and Hermione exchanged "we knew it" glances.

"But now," said LaRaine, "We're going to get to the good news. The Ministry of Magic has graciously donated us just enough bottle of Aging Potion…to change everyone back to normal."

Some people groaned unhappily. Harry breathed a sigh of relief.

"We have to do it in small groups, though," said LaRaine, "Only every other day we can change the students back."

"Why?" asked Hermione.

"Because it will take the students a day to wake up. Which means we have to give them the aging potion while they are in the Hospital Wing," explained Regor, "And they're aren't that many hospital beds."

"So, right now, who is willing to have their friends changed back?" asked LaRaine.

Harry raised his hand. Hermione couldn't because she was holding onto Ron. Seamus also raised his hand. And a few other people in the room.

"Alright, come with me to the Hospital Wing," said LaRaine, "The Aging Potion is there."

The groups followed LaRaine to the Hospital Wing.

"Just get the children settled on the beds," she said, "Then I will come around with the potion."

Harry and Hermione got Ron settled on the bed.

"Even though I want him back," said Harry, "I'll miss him."

Hermione nodded. LaRaine came to their bed with the potion in a bottle. She fed it to Ron. Then said,

"If you come back tomorrow he should be awake. But you have permission to stay here for a while if you like."

She then walked away as Ron transformed back into his 17-year-old body, his eyes closed.

"Yeah, this is better," said Harry positively, "At least now he'll talk."

Hermione rolled her eyes, taking Ron's hand.

"We have to get to class in fifteen minutes," she said to no one in particular, "We can come back tomorrow. Then he'll be awake."

"Yeah," said Harry, "Let's go."

Harry and Hermione stood up and left.

The next day they came back and Ron was awake and eating breakfast, talking to Dean.

"Hi, Ron," said Hermione, pulling up a chair.

"Hi!" he exclaimed.

Harry had half-expected him not to say anything.

"How does it feel to be back?" asked Hermione.

"Odd," admitted Ron, "I feel like I've been gone forever. So what have I missed?"

"Well, nothing," said Hermione, "Professor Kelarpie said that she had all your grades put on hold. So if you missed assignments it won't hurt your grade-"

"No," said Ron, "I mean as in stuff I'd actually care about."

"Well, we…lost," said Harry, "We lost a game against Hufflepuff."

"What?" Ron exclaimed.

"Yeah," said Harry, "This one Richardson kid beat me."

"Josh Richardson?" asked Ron, "He's a first year, Harry!"

"I know," said Harry.

"We'll beat him next time," said Ron, "So who took my place?"

"Seamus," said Harry.

"Oh. Was he good?" asked Ron, "I mean…better than me or worse? If he was worse that must be really sucky. So when's our next game? Or practice? I can't believe we lost…" he trailed off, "Well…um. Sorry, I'm ranting."

"Go ahead," said Harry.

"What?" asked Ron, "Usually by now you'd have interrupted me. Did you miss me talking or something?"

"You have NO idea," said Harry.

**_You'll kill me for this, but...Fin_**


	23. EPILOGUE

**_Epilogue_**

Of course Ron eventually got back on track with school. He and Lavender both totally laughed at the possibility of them being friends when they had been children. And Ron said that he did not know why he never talked. He just said he must have had nothing to say. Once Ron was Keeper again, the Gryffindor team practiced night after night, especially Harry. Then they came back and beat Hufflepuff. Josh was good about it...but then Professor Kelarpie and Professor Kelarpie left to go to Durmstrang to teach their Extra Credit class there. The entire EC class had a party for them before they left. Josh went and he and Harry talked about being Seekers. Harry admitted that Josh was very good, but Josh said Harry was better.

Finally someone asked Regor and LaRaine why they had kidnapped the children. Regor and LaRaine replied that they wanted to see how the "parents" would react to an emergency.

Harry and Ron were both pleased with their renewed Potions grades. Their grades had been raised by 25 percent. Hermione congratulated them and said hers had also risen.

Even though she had never needed extra credit.

* * *

**Happy? I wrote an epilogue, LOL. There's just not much anything else that could be written. Use your imagination to end it. **


End file.
